Seven Killed, 34 Wounded as Gunmen Open Fire at Jordanian Church Funeral

Gunmen opened fire on a Greek Orthodox church in southern Jordan on Friday during a funeral, killing at least seven people and wounding 34 others, authorities said. The assault took place in Hammoud, a village in Karak governorate, about 110 miles south of the capital, Amman.

Interior Minister Mazen Al-Faraya told a press conference that a group of extremists was responsible for the shooting. The public security directorate said assailants stormed the church compound during a funeral procession, then fired from an entrance on the street. Footage aired by state broadcaster Al-Mamlaka showed two gunmen in casual clothes holding pistols alongside a third carrying a long gun. An eyewitness interviewed by the broadcaster said the vehicle carrying the attackers pulled up and the men fired for five minutes before escaping. The witness estimated 150 to 200 people were in and around the church at the time and said most of the victims were between 50 and 70 years old.

A manhunt for the perpetrators was underway, according to the public security directorate. Minister of Government Communications Mohammed Al-Momani said security forces were investigating the attack. King Abdullah II wrote on social media that every Jordanian life is precious, adding, "We will strike with an iron fist against those who dare to threaten our nation." He also promised the "harshest retaliation" against those responsible.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, the only Christian head of state in the Arab world, condemned the shooting as a "heinous terrorist attack." A presidency statement said Aoun told reporters the attack "reaffirms once again that terrorism has no religion and no homeland, and its aim is to strike at coexistence and spread strife."

Karak, which has a sizable Christian community, has experienced deadly violence before. In 2016, gunmen ambushed police in a series of attacks in the area, including at a Crusader castle popular with tourists. Ten people were killed in those attacks, seven of them officers, and dozens more were wounded. Jordanian security forces killed the attackers after a lengthy standoff.